Life in Australia: Perth (restored in glorious 4K) captures Western Australia’s capital in the 1960s.

Made by the Department of Immigration, the film promotes Perth as modern, thriving and full of opportunity. Told through the local newspaper’s eyes, it explores daily life – work, study, shopping, sport, health care and leisure. The bustling centre, sunny beaches and active community life are all part of the sales pitch for a new start down under.

The Life in Australia series (1964–66) was designed as a glossy promotion for migration. The films promised comfort and prosperity – but with limits. Gender roles are rigid, First Nations people are absent and inclusiveness is not part of the story. Produced in the final years of the White Australia Policy, the films sit on the cusp of the landmark 1967 Referendum. Today, they stand as vivid time capsules – showing both the optimism and the blind spots in how Australia wanted to be seen on the world stage.

Find out more about the Life in Australia series